Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,337 per month in Kingston vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,282 per month in Kingston vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,227 per month in Kingston vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Kingston costs about 127% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Kingston sits 75% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.88 CA$23.76

$6.16 COP 20.1K

174.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.9 CA$103

$32.60 COP 106.1K

123.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.55 CA$16.25

$7.34 COP 23.9K

57.36%

Cappuccino

$3.52 CA$4.95

$1.72 COP 5,599

104.65%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 CA$2.67

$1.05 COP 3,420

80.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 CA$1.93

$0.77 COP 2,515

77.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.77 CA$8.13

$1.69 COP 5,487

241.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.60 CA$9.28

$3.17 COP 10.3K

108.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.54 CA$3.58

$1.05 COP 3,423

141.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.42 CA$3.40

$1.30 COP 4,236

86.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.98 CA$5.60

$1.40 COP 4,544

184.29%

Eggs

$2.94 CA$4.14

$2.16 COP 7,046

36.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.82 CA$15.23

$4.39 COP 14.3K

146.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.48 CA$16.15

$5.88 COP 19.1K

95.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.75 CA$16.53

$8.64 COP 28.1K

36.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.67 CA$5.17

$2.28 COP 7,425

60.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 CA$1.85

$1.11 COP 3,603

18.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.17 CA$5.87

$1.53 COP 4,982

172.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.68 CA$6.59

$1.35 COP 4,410

246.67%

Potato (1kg)

$3.43 CA$4.82

$1.13 COP 3,674

203.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 CA$3.24

$1.13 COP 3,692

103.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.10 CA$4.36

$0.85 COP 2,753

264.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.38

$0.91 COP 2,975

85.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.62 CA$19.17

$2.34 COP 7,629

482.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.09 CA$17.01

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-2.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 CA$3.29

$1.20 COP 3,909

95.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 CA$4.70

$2.49 COP 8,104

34.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.53 CA$3.56

$0.84 COP 2,727

201.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.7 CA$84.1

$40.57 COP 132.1K

47.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 CA$4.52

$1.42 COP 4,623

126.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 CA$2.12

$1.92 COP 6,235

-21.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.15 CA$46.65

$7.66 COP 24.9K

332.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 CA$1.52

$0.99 COP 3,223

9.09%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$25.2K CA$35.4K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

39.54%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$21.4K CA$30.1K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-19.70%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$131 CA$185

$80.8 COP 263.1K

62.43%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$44.09 CA$62.0

$9.95 COP 32.4K

343.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.2 CA$110

$24.18 COP 78.7K

223.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.46 CA$45.68

$25.08 COP 81.6K

29.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.30 CA$13.08

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-51.44%

Cinema Ticket

$10.93 CA$15.38

$3.98 COP 13.0K

174.62%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$445 CA$626

$305 COP 993.4K

45.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K CA$16.3K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

90.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.61 CA$65.6

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-19.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.56 CA$50.0

$32.20 COP 104.8K

10.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 CA$133

$101 COP 327.9K

-6.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.8 CA$132

$108 COP 350.8K

-12.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,310 CA$1,844

$477 COP 1.6M

174.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,182 CA$1,664

$376 COP 1.2M

214.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,086 CA$2,935

$845 COP 2.7M

146.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,670 CA$2,350

$730 COP 2.4M

128.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,419 CA$4,811

$3,215 COP 10.5M

6.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,453 CA$3,452

$1,372 COP 4.5M

78.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,010 CA$4,235

$617 COP 2.0M

387.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.69

13.43

-50.19%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Kingston: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,310 in Kingston versus $477 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 388% higher in Kingston, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Kingston versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $359 vs $193 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Kingston vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,337 in Kingston, $1,031 in Medellin – roughly 127% apart. Kingston costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,505 per month in Kingston and $1,546 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,337 in Kingston and $1,031 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 47% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Kingston at $2,337. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kingston it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,031 in Medellin to $2,337 in Kingston. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kingston makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.